Twentieth Century Fox reportedly shared the least content, while Warner Bros perhaps offered the most colorful list of stolen comment with their randy workforce downloading titles such as "A--holeFever - Ioana (The Summer is Magic)". Overall a wide array of movies, video games, and TV episodes were being illegally shared.

Some of Warner Bros. employees' downloads may give a new meaning to working "hard on the job". [Image Source: TorrentFreak]

The MPAA is known for its penchant for provocative statements and lawsuits. In ads it proclaimed:

You wouldn’t steal a car
You wouldn’t steal a handbag
You wouldn’t steal a television
You wouldn’t steal a movie

Downloading pirated films is stealing,
stealing is against the law,
PIRACY. IT’S A CRIME

Viacom lost a suit against Google Inc.'s (GOOG) YouTube video service, when server logs showed that Viacom employees had themselves uploaded many of the infringing video clips from Viacom properties such as MTV and Comedy Central. It was unclear whether the uploads were a direct attempt to frame Google or simple hypocrisy, but either way the "billion dollar" case was quickly scuttled in the aftermath.

That said, illegal distribution -- while hypocritical and harmful to artists -- is not quite as hypocritically humorous as movies studio employees directly engaging in torrent piracy. Thus the industry -- or its employees at least -- appear to have sunk to a new low. As the popular idiom goes, "Do as I say, not as I do."

I don't quite agree. What the studios should see is that their movies are in high demand as long as people can get them for free . The demand isn't a fixed number, it's a function of price. Therefore, they shouldn't assume that the demand would be there if people had to pay what the the studios want to charge for them.

It doesn't matter what you think they should see. The only thing that matters is what they actually see. I've already described what they actually see therefore this form of protest is completely worthless.

I'll add further that this form of protest is damaging to legitimate consumers by way of intrusive DRM. DRM was born in response to piracy, not to pre-empt it.

The desired effect and the actual effect are not remotely similar which leads me to the conclusion that this form of "protest" is just another bullshit excuse to download media for free. I don't care if you download, it doesn't directly hurt me, but please with the bullshit excuses.

I have to agree with tayb.The sad truth of the matter is that while we may not like what the movie industry is doing, the movie really is theirs to do what they like with it. They produced it, filmed it, paid the staff, and marketed it. It's theirs. I would be angry too, if someone took what I made and did what the wanted, contrary to my will. For good or for worse.To add to the chorus, the only way to combat this is to write letters and support independents who make things you like. And don't fleece you while doing it.

I don't care if you download, it doesn't directly hurt me, but please with the bullshit excuses.

I'm a downloader, and a buyer. I don't agree with most of your argument, but the very last of that sentence....screams with truth. If you truly have principles, don't watch. If you just disagree with the unrealistic business model and are pragmatic, please don't cloth yourself as a martyr